I do not usually mix two days, but with Saturday being a six-hour drive (one way), it was over with before I got to writing a blog for Saturday.

Saturday

Starting with Saturday and going from end to start, I finished the night about 11, climbing into my bed wtih a pastiche or fanwork of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. The original characters and works have entered the public domain, and I have even published a story based on them. I later discussed with Deborah that I prefer the writing to echo the original in word usage and word choice. We disagreed on this, but as we agreed, it is a matter of taste, expectations, and clarity. Still, I like a good story, and I like where this author, Tim Major, is taking the stories.

Before this, I was, despite a sore throat, at the theater for a screening of the 1944 film Double Indemnity, which set the standard for film noir. I enjoyed the film and found myself at first cheering the murders and then cheering their defeat. It is, as one would expect, a dark film. I read that the original ending had the protagonist’s last view from the gas chamber! That was removed. Still, I recommend it, with a box of popcorn.

Before this, returning home, I wrote Python code, drank Sleepy Time tea with sugar and lemon, and tried to capture and apply some of my learning in quantum computing. I have installed JupyterLab and use it to mix Python and markup to make a demo of what I have learned. In this tool, you can save a notebook that has markup and code. You can run both, and the run is in a container controlled from the notebook. I have, as I have covered in previous days, installed QuTiP to simulate Qubits and other related Matrix operations. I have also learned that Python uses a ‘j’ and not an ‘i’ for complex numbers. It can use them. Slowly learning all of this.

As I suggested, I was at the Washington Square Mall in the late afternoon and early evening. I felt I needed to move and be with people. I was feeling off, and I wanted to walk. It was good to see people and look at things. I did not buy any new cooking items or machines, but I was tempted. But the high prices drove me off. Yikes!

Dinner was their Chinese-style salad and a cheesecake. I ordered coconut cream cheese cake, but I meant banana. Still, it was good, but I will stick to the absolutely mind-blowingly good banana cream cheese cake next time. I had a pleasant bartender and staff, and I orchestrated that young couple got a seat when we moved folks around to make two in a row available. I took one on the absolute end, sort of the last not-so-good seat that looks into a glass wall, but I managed. Women’s tennis was on, and I could lean to see it. I watched some amazing shots. Tennis scoring is still a mystery to me (I do not know how many times Susie explained it to me).

The early afternoon included a nap. I was feeling off, watched some For All Mankind, and reached the third episode of season 2. It is improving. I was on the edge of my seat for some of it. I then went to get a haircut and then to the mall.

Earlier, lunch was reheated pizza again. I packed for my trip on Sunday morning and folded and put away my laundry. I remembered to charge the EV overnight so I would start with a 100% charge. I have to override the charge to 100%. It is more polite to do 80%, as the last 20% takes as much power as the first 80%. It is a feature of these batteries (and capacitors too).

I learned from Richard that we lost our crew for a 3-person game over the holiday, and we canceled. No game on Saturday. With me traveling on Sunday, I thought it best to take the break to rest and organize.

I spent the morning writing the blog and organizing my digital life with Quicken, the NY Times, and email. The day started damp, but the sun showed a few times. By the end, there was some hope of a less damp day on Sunday.

And that takes me to Sunday.

Sunday

Sunday began with me waking at 4:30 after a few awakenings at night; I seldom sleep through the night, but I am retired and don’t care. Really. Returning to the alarm, I did wonder at first why I was starting so early. I then remembered I was taking the EV to Jot’s Resort on the southern Oregon Coast (closer to California than Portland). I showered and grabbed the rest of my gear (forgetting a hat, but I have two different hooded coats). I was showered, shaved, and so on. Next, I had everything ready in Air VW the Gray (forgetting a notepad to write down places I might want to return to and my Oregon Geology book) and headed out.

Soon, navigation had me charging once and arriving in Gold Beach with a low charge. I prefer to have more charge, as there is no fast charging in Gold Beach. I updated the path to include two charges and changed them to Circle J and Safeway in North Bend (the one on the Coast, not in Eastern Oregon) to ensure a good level. I have to use the built-in Nav instead of Apple’s, which I trust more, because it connects to charging stations and my EV’s charge levels.

I also bought the audiobook Lincoln Lawyer, which I have always wanted to read. This is Unabridged and 14 hours. I have two six-hour drives and thought it would be great. Also, I can listen to it on the bus and train for my next trip. Motion sickness can thus be avoided by using small screens. I listen to five hours of the audio while driving. Emma responds to my text; she is up early and waiting for Mariah, who is picking her up. They will drive down together. Mariah has some doggie drama.

The drive is long and starts in the dark. The audiobook makes the time fly by. I also spend some time chatting with Deborah. I call her three or four times. The rain pelts the car, and I have to pause the book as the EV anti-slip takes over on the water-filled roads. The VW handles well, and soon the slipping stops. I listen some more.

I charge 29-100 at the Circle J but am surprised at the $40 charge. This is the highest I have ever paid. If I traveled in the EV, I might have to find a lower-priced charger or buy a discount program. Later, in North Bend, I pay less per unit. Hmmm.

I park at Coos Bay, but Mariah and Emma miss my plan to have lunch there. Bandan is next, and I meet them there, and we have beers and lunch at a local brewery. It works. We then travel the 90 minutes to Jot’s Resort near Gold Beach, check in, and then drive over to the beach.

We walk the jetty on the Rogue River to the point where it meets the Pacific. It is full of small fishing boats, a boring parade of folks trolling with small electric motors, poles out, trying to harvest salmon. It looks crowded and boring. I am glad I did not pay for a fishing trip. I see nothing getting caught. I would fish in the wee hours of the morning or near sundown (the biggest fish I ever caught was in the dark after sundown). But folks are busy at it. We see many flashes of fish, but we did not see one take the bait from a boat. Hmmm. Later, I saw an eagle flying off with a fish in its talons and was glad someone caught one (I also suggested to Emma that her dinner might be late when pointing that out from the restaurant).

We walked the beach, having climbed down off the jetty, and collected some shells and seaweed, with the mussels and barnacles still alive and attached. It was relaxing and fun to just walk the beach. I had switched to boots and was steadier on the rocks and sand with them. We walked until the jetty looked small and then walked back, still searching for shells and other items. We found a fierce-looking fish jaw of cartilage full of wicked teeth. We kept that and a few shells. Emma collected smooth stones too.

We returned to the hotel. I set a timer and napped. I woke, picked up Emma and Mariah in the Air VW the Gray, and we headed to a high-end local steak and seafood place, Spinners Seafood and Steak. It was expensive. I had the local salmon, as did Emma. It was fresh (caught over the weekend as the salmon are running now). Mariah had a steak. We also split a bottle of wine, Bonanza (like the show) Cabernet. It was good (made by the same people who make Cadmus). Brian, our waiter, was helpful and friendly as we worked our way through the menu.

We did not make it to the beach for sunset. But we did watch it from our table, and we all let out that little gasp as that last bit of sun disappeared. Sunsets on the West Coast are a must-see.

With that and dessert done, we had a shared tiramisu that had a ladyfinger sticking out of a pile of fresh whipped cream. We tried not to giggle (after all that wine) as it looked wrong. Inside was more traditional and delicious tiramisu.

Stuffed and with the sundown finished, and while I stopped my wine for coffee, we were getting a bit happy. It was a great day, but we took the EV back to the hotel. We headed to our rooms.

I watched the seals in the river from my second-floor balcony. It appeared that the seals were hoping to steal fish from the returning boats and the dock anglers. They were cute and enjoying the salmon run and the human presence.

Here is Emma’s photo of one.

I changed into my PJs and wrote this blog.

Thanks for reading.